Method for improving eating quality of food

Abstract

The eating quality of a food is improved by blending γ-glutamyl-2-aminobutyric acid (γ-Glu-Abu) and lysine.

Description

How to improve the taste of food

[0001] The present invention relates to a technique for improving the taste of food.

[0002] Foods such as consommé contain beef extract and other meat extracts. In recent years, reducing the amount of beef extract and other meat extracts has become important in consideration of stable supply of raw materials, cost reduction, and diversification of tastes. However, there is no known method for compensating for the loss of flavor due to such reduction, such as the richness and flavor derived from beef extract.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses imparting kokumi flavor by γ-glutamyl-2-aminobutyric acid (γ-Glu-Abu).

[0004] Patent Document 2 discloses the enhancement of retronasal aroma by γ-Glu-Abu.

[0005] Patent Document 3 discloses the imparting of a kokumi-type initial flavor by combining a γ-glutamyl peptide selected from γ-Glu-X-Gly (X represents an amino acid or an amino acid derivative) and γ-Glu-Y (Y represents an amino acid or an amino acid derivative) with a dicarboxylic acid selected from L-tartaric acid and adipic acid.

[0006] Patent Document 4 discloses that a vegetable protein hydrolysate and a yeast extract are combined to impart deliciousness to a reduced-salt food or drink, and further discloses that the food or drink further contains amino acids (including lysine).

[0007] Patent Document 5 discloses a salty taste enhancer containing a basic amino acid, a basic amino acid hydrochloride, and an acidic substance at specific concentrations.

[0008] WO2010 / 114022 JP 2020-191818 JP 2022-010350 JP 2011-004668 JP 2017-135996

[0009] An object of the present invention is to provide a technology for improving the taste of food.

[0010] The present inventors have found that the taste of food can be improved by blending γ-glutamyl-2-aminobutyric acid (γ-Glu-Abu) and lysine, and have completed the present invention.

[0011] That is, the present invention can be exemplified as follows. [1] A composition for improving the taste of food, comprising γ-glutamyl-2-aminobutyric acid (γ-Glu-Abu) or a salt thereof, and lysine or a salt thereof. [2] A composition for producing a food, comprising γ-glutamyl-2-aminobutyric acid (γ-Glu-Abu) or a salt thereof, and lysine or a salt thereof. [3] The composition (specifically described in [2]) wherein the food is a food with improved taste. [4] The composition (specifically described in any of [1] to [3]) wherein the lysine or a salt thereof is lysine hydrochloride. [5] The composition (specifically described in any of [1] to [4]) wherein γ-Glu-Abu or a salt thereof is contained in yeast extract. [6] The composition (specifically described in any of [1] to [5]) further comprising yeast extract. [7] The composition (specifically described in any of [1] and [3] to [6]) wherein the improved taste includes imparting or enhancing fullness. [8] The composition (specifically described in any of [1] and [3] to [7]) wherein the improved taste includes enhancing the meaty texture. [9] The composition (specifically described in any of [1] to [8]) wherein the food does not contain meat extract or contains meat extract in an amount of 10% or less.

[10] The composition (specifically described in any of [1] to [9]) wherein the food does not contain beef-derived meat extract or contains beef-derived meat extract in an amount of 10% or less.

[11] The composition (specifically described in any of [1] to

[10] ) wherein the food contains γ-Glu-Abu or a salt thereof and lysine or a salt thereof in a molar ratio of 10:1 to 1:100.

[12] The composition (specifically according to any one of [1] to

[11] ) comprising γ-Glu-Abu or a salt thereof and lysine or a salt thereof in a molar ratio of 1:1 to 1:40.

[13] The composition (specifically according to any one of [1] to

[12] ) comprising γ-Glu-Abu or a salt thereof and lysine or a salt thereof in a molar ratio of 1:6 to 1:12.

[14] A method for improving the taste of food, comprising the step of adding γ-glutamyl-2-aminobutyric acid (γ-Glu-Abu) or a salt thereof, and lysine or a salt thereof to a food raw material.

[15] A method for producing food, comprising the step of adding γ-glutamyl-2-aminobutyric acid (γ-Glu-Abu) or a salt thereof, and lysine or a salt thereof to a food raw material.

[16] The method (specifically described in

[15] ) wherein the food is a food with improved taste.

[17] The method (specifically described in any of

[14] to

[16] ) wherein the lysine or a salt thereof is lysine hydrochloride.

[18] The method (specifically described in any of

[14] to

[17] ) wherein γ-Glu-Abu or a salt thereof is contained in yeast extract.

[19] The method (specifically described in any of

[14] to

[18] ) further comprising the step of adding yeast extract to a food raw material.

[20] The method (specifically described in any of

[14] and

[16] to

[19] ) wherein the improvement in taste includes imparting or enhancing kokumi (rich flavor).

[21] The method (specifically described in any of

[14] and

[16] to

[20] ) wherein the improvement in taste includes enhancing the meaty texture.

[22] The method (specifically described in any of

[14] to

[21] ) wherein the food does not contain meat extract or contains meat extract in an amount of 10% or less.

[23] The method (specifically described in any of

[14] to

[22] ) wherein the food does not contain beef-derived meat extract or contains beef-derived meat extract in an amount of 10% or less.

[24] The method (specifically described in any of

[14] to

[23] ) wherein γ-Glu-Abu or a salt thereof and lysine or a salt thereof are added in a molar ratio of 10:1 to 1:100.

[25] The method (specifically, the method described in any one of

[14] to

[24] ) above, wherein γ-Glu-Abu or a salt thereof and lysine or a salt thereof are added at a molar ratio of 1:1 to 1:40.

[26] The method (specifically, the method described in any one of

[14] to

[25] ) above, wherein γ-Glu-Abu or a salt thereof and lysine or a salt thereof are added at a molar ratio of 1:6 to 1:12.

[27] The method (specifically described in any of

[14] to

[26] ) wherein γ-Glu-Abu or a salt thereof is added to the food so that the final ingested concentration of γ-Glu-Abu or a salt thereof in the food is 0.0001 ppm to 1000 ppm.

[28] The method (specifically described in any of

[14] to

[27] ) wherein γ-Glu-Abu or a salt thereof is added to the food so that the final ingested concentration of γ-Glu-Abu or a salt thereof in the food is 0.01 ppm to 1000 ppm.

[29] The method (specifically described in any of

[14] to

[28] ) wherein lysine or a salt thereof is added to the food so that the final ingested concentration of lysine or a salt thereof in the food is 0.01 ppm to 1000 ppm.

[30] The method (specifically, the method according to any one of

[14] to

[29] ), wherein the lysine or a salt thereof is added to the food so that the final ingested concentration of the lysine or a salt thereof in the food is 0.1 ppm or more and 1000 ppm or less.

[0012] <1> Active Ingredients In the present invention, γ-glutamyl-2-aminobutyric acid (γ-Glu-Abu) and lysine are used as active ingredients.

[0013] γ-Glu-Abu may be read as γ-Glu-Abu or a salt thereof. Furthermore, lysine may be read as lysine or a salt thereof. In other words, in the present invention, γ-Glu-Abu or a salt thereof and lysine or a salt thereof may be used as active ingredients.

[0014] The use of an active ingredient can improve the taste of food, i.e., an effect of improving the taste of food can be obtained. This effect is also referred to as a "taste improving effect." Improving the taste of food can also be simply referred to as "taste improvement." Specifically, the use of an active ingredient can improve the taste of food compared to when the active ingredient is not used. "Without the use of an active ingredient" may mean not using γ-Glu-Abu and its salts, not using lysine and its salts, or not using any of γ-Glu-Abu and its salts, and lysine and its salts. In other words, the use of γ-Glu-Abu or its salts and lysine or its salts may improve the taste of food compared to when γ-Glu-Abu and its salts are not used, when lysine and its salts are not used, or when none of γ-Glu-Abu and its salts, lysine and its salts are used. Therefore, an active ingredient may be used to improve the taste of food.

[0015] Furthermore, by utilizing the active ingredient, it is possible to produce food products with improved taste, and therefore the active ingredient may be used in the production of food products (specifically, the production of food products with improved taste).

[0016] Taste includes taste and aroma. That is, the use of an active ingredient may improve the taste and / or aroma. Taste may also be referred to as flavor, and may refer to the flavor obtained when eating. Note that the term "aroma" as used herein may refer to the aroma felt from the throat to the nasal cavity when eating food (i.e., retronasal aroma) and / or the aroma smelled directly through the nose (i.e., orthonasal aroma). The term "aroma" as used herein may particularly refer to the aroma felt from the throat to the nasal cavity when eating food (i.e., retronasal aroma).

[0017] Examples of improvements in taste include enhancing the meaty feel and imparting or improving richness, meat flavor, and oily flavor. Examples of improvements in taste include, in particular, enhancing the meaty feel and imparting or improving richness. By utilizing the active ingredient, one type of taste may be improved alone, or two or more types of tastes may be improved in combination. That is, by utilizing the active ingredient, for example, meaty feel, richness, meat flavor, and / or oily flavor may be imparted or improved.

[0018] "Meat sensation" may refer to a sensation felt due to ingredients derived from livestock meat. Examples of ingredients derived from livestock meat include meat extract. That is, in one embodiment, "meat-derived ingredients" may be read as "meat extract." Specifically, "meat sensation" may refer to a sensation felt due to the presence of ingredients derived from livestock meat when eating a food containing ingredients derived from livestock meat. "Meat sensation" may be used interchangeably with "meat flavor." Examples of meat sensation include the taste and aroma of livestock meat. Furthermore, meat sensation may be felt as a combination of richness, meat flavor, oily flavor, and the like derived from livestock meat. "Enhancing meat sensation" is not limited to enhancing the meat sensation of foods that have a meat sensation (e.g., foods containing ingredients derived from livestock meat), but may also include imparting a meat sensation to foods that do not have a meat sensation (e.g., foods that do not contain ingredients derived from livestock meat). For example, by using an active ingredient in combination with a raw material derived from livestock meat, particularly a livestock meat extract, it is possible to impart a livestock meat feel (specifically, an enhanced livestock meat feel compared to when the active ingredient is not used) to foods that do not have a livestock meat feel, and it is also possible to impart a livestock meat feel (specifically, an enhanced livestock meat feel compared to when the active ingredient is not used) to foods that do not have a livestock meat feel using only the active ingredient.

[0019] An example of meat is beef. A meat extract derived from beef is also called beef extract. An example of a raw material derived from meat may be beef extract. That is, in one embodiment, a raw material derived from meat may be read as beef extract. An example of the "meat texture" is the sensation felt due to the presence of beef extract when eating a food containing beef extract. In this case, the meat texture may be rephrased as beef extract texture, and an improvement in taste may be achieved by enhancing the beef extract texture. Examples of the beef extract texture include the taste and aroma of beef extract. The beef extract texture may also be perceived as a combination of richness, meat flavor, oily flavor, and the like derived from beef extract. "Enhancing the beef extract texture" is not limited to enhancing the beef extract texture of a food that has a beef extract texture (e.g., a food containing beef extract), but may also include imparting a beef extract texture to a food that does not have a beef extract texture (e.g., a food that does not contain beef extract). For example, by using an active ingredient in combination with beef extract, it is possible to impart a beef extract flavor to a food that does not have a beef extract flavor (specifically, an enhanced beef extract flavor compared to when the active ingredient is not used).Furthermore, for example, it is also possible to impart a beef extract flavor to a food that does not have a beef extract flavor (specifically, an enhanced beef extract flavor compared to when the active ingredient is not used) using only the active ingredient.

[0020] "Kokumi" refers to a sensation that cannot be expressed by the five basic tastes: sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami. Specifically, it may refer to a taste that enhances not only the basic tastes but also marginal tastes and flavors surrounding the basic tastes, such as thickness, growth (mouthfulness), continuity, and harmony. In the present invention, the elements that constitute kokumi are not particularly limited, but may include, for example, some of the elements of kokumi that are reduced in foods with reduced meat-derived ingredients compared to foods containing meat-derived ingredients, or all of such kokumi elements. More specifically, the elements that constitute kokumi in the present invention may include some of the elements of kokumi that are reduced in foods with reduced beef extract compared to foods containing beef extract, or all of such kokumi elements.

[0021] "Imparting fullness" includes enhancing a basic taste, and imparting or enhancing flavors related to the basic taste, such as thickness, breadth, persistence, unity, etc. "Imparting fullness" also includes imparting or enhancing flavors such as meat flavor, oily flavor, complex flavor, aged feeling, richness, meaty feeling, milky feeling, fruity feeling, full body (such as sugar-like full body or wine-like full body), and density.

[0022] Taste (e.g., meaty texture or richness) may be divided into, for example, initial taste, middle taste, and aftertaste. The terms "initial taste," "middle taste," and "aftertaste" refer to the tastes perceived from 0 to 1 second, 1 to 3 seconds, and 3 to 5 seconds after ingestion (after putting the food in the mouth) in the case of a liquid (liquid food). Furthermore, the terms "initial taste," "middle taste," and "aftertaste" refer to the tastes perceived from 0 to 4 seconds, 4 to 10 seconds, and 10 to 15 seconds after ingestion (after putting the food in the mouth) in the case of a solid (solid food). In the present invention, "solid" refers to forms other than liquids, including pastes and gels. By utilizing an active ingredient, for example, the initial taste, middle taste, aftertaste, or a combination thereof may be improved. That is, by using the active ingredient, specifically, for example, the initial meaty taste, the middle meaty taste, the aftertaste meaty taste, or a combination thereof may be enhanced.Furthermore, by using the active ingredient, specifically, for example, the initial richness, the middle richness, the aftertaste richness, or a combination thereof may be imparted.In particular, by using the active ingredient, not only the initial richness but also the middle richness and the aftertaste richness may be imparted.

[0023] The active ingredient may be used to improve taste or produce food products in the manner described in the methods of the present invention below.

[0024] The active ingredient is not particularly limited as long as it contains γ-Glu-Abu or a salt thereof and lysine or a salt thereof. The active ingredient may or may not consist of γ-Glu-Abu or a salt thereof and lysine or a salt thereof. The active ingredient may further contain yeast extract. The yeast extract may contain γ-Glu-Abu or a salt thereof, or may not contain γ-Glu-Abu or a salt thereof. A yeast extract containing γ-Glu-Abu or a salt thereof, i.e., a yeast extract containing γ-Glu-Abu or a salt thereof, may be used instead of γ-Glu-Abu or a salt thereof. In other words, γ-Glu-Abu or a salt thereof may be contained in the yeast extract. That is, the active ingredient may be, for example, γ-Glu-Abu or a salt thereof, lysine or a salt thereof, and yeast extract. Alternatively, the active ingredient may be, for example, a yeast extract containing γ-Glu-Abu or a salt thereof and lysine or a salt thereof.

[0025] (1) γ-Glu-Abu γ-Glu-Abu is a dipeptide having a peptide bond between the carboxyl group at the γ-position of glutamic acid (Glu) and the amino group of 2-aminobutyric acid (Abu), and is also called γ-glutamyl-2-aminobutyric acid. γ-Glu-Abu in the present invention encompasses any optical isomers.

[0026] In the present invention, glutamic acid and 2-aminobutyric acid constituting γ-Glu-Abu are both in the L-form unless otherwise specified.

[0027] γ-Glu-Abu may be a commercially available product or may be obtained by appropriate production. The method for producing γ-Glu-Abu is not particularly limited, and known methods can be used. Known methods include, for example, methods for chemically synthesizing peptides and methods for synthesizing peptides by enzymatic reactions.

[0028] When chemically synthesizing peptides, peptides can be synthesized or semi-synthesized using a peptide synthesizer. Chemical peptide synthesis methods include, for example, solid-phase peptide synthesis. Synthesized peptides can be purified by conventional means, such as ion exchange chromatography, reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography, and affinity chromatography. Such solid-phase peptide synthesis methods and the subsequent peptide purification are well known in the art.

[0029] When synthesizing peptides by enzymatic reaction, for example, the method described in WO2004 / 011653 can be used. Specifically, for example, a dipeptide or tripeptide can be synthesized by reacting an amino acid or dipeptide whose carboxyl group has been esterified or amidated with an amino acid whose amino group is free (e.g., an amino acid whose carboxyl group has been protected) in the presence of a peptide-synthesizing enzyme. The synthesized dipeptide or tripeptide can be purified as appropriate. Examples of peptide-synthesizing enzymes include cultures of microorganisms capable of producing peptides, culture supernatants separated from the cultures, bacterial cells separated from the cultures, treated bacterial cells of the microorganisms, and peptide-synthesizing enzymes separated therefrom. As the peptide-synthesizing enzyme, an appropriately purified one can be used as needed.

[0030] γ-Glu-Abu can also be produced by, for example, culturing a microorganism capable of producing γ-Glu-Abu and recovering the γ-Glu-Abu from the culture medium or cells. Specifically, a yeast containing γ-Glu-Abu can be obtained by the methods described in, for example, JP 2012-213376 A or WO 2012 / 046731 A. γ-Glu-Abu can also be produced by recovering γ-Glu-Abu from agricultural, aquatic, or livestock products containing γ-Glu-Abu.

[0031] γ-Glu-Abu may or may not be a purified product. That is, a material with a high γ-Glu-Abu content may be used as γ-Glu-Abu. "High in γ-Glu-Abu" means that the γ-Glu-Abu content is 100 ppm (w / w) or more. That is, "blending (adding) γ-Glu-Abu" is not limited to blending (adding) γ-Glu-Abu itself, but also includes blending (adding) a material with a high γ-Glu-Abu content. Specific examples of materials with a high γ-Glu-Abu content include fermentation products such as culture broth, bacterial cells, and culture supernatant obtained by culturing microorganisms capable of producing γ-Glu-Abu, agricultural and aquatic livestock products containing γ-Glu-Abu, and processed products thereof. Examples of processed products include those obtained by subjecting the above-mentioned fermentation products to treatments such as concentration, dilution, drying, fractionation, extraction, and purification. Examples of such processed products include yeast extracts containing γ-Glu-Abu (see JP 2012-213376 A or WO 2012 / 046731 A). The yeast extract containing γ-Glu-Abu, i.e., γ-Glu-Abu-containing yeast extract, is described below. γ-Glu-Abu may be purified to a desired degree. For example, γ-Glu-Abu with a purity of 50% (w / w) or more, 70% (w / w) or more, 90% (w / w) or more, or 95% (w / w) or more may be used.

[0032] (2) Lysine Unless otherwise specified, lysine may be in the D- or L-form, or a combination thereof. The ratio of the D- to L-form in the combination is not particularly limited. The molar ratio of the D- or L-form in the combination may be, for example, 20 to 80%, 30 to 70%, 40 to 60%, or 45 to 55%. Lysine may particularly be in the L-form. When D- or L-lysine is selected, it is sufficient to use D- or L-lysine as the active ingredient, and this does not preclude the use of L- or D-lysine in combination. In this case, the L- or D-lysine used in combination (i.e., the one not selected as the active ingredient) does not qualify as an active ingredient (i.e., it is considered to be an ingredient other than the active ingredient).

[0033] The lysine may be a commercially available product or may be obtained by appropriate production. The method for producing lysine is not particularly limited. Lysine can be produced, for example, by known methods. Specific examples of lysine include chemical synthesis, enzymatic reaction, fermentation, extraction, or a combination thereof. Lysine may be purified to a desired degree or not. That is, purified products may be used as lysine, or lysine-containing materials may be used. Specific examples of lysine-containing materials include fermentation products such as culture solutions, bacterial cells, and culture supernatants obtained by culturing microorganisms capable of producing lysine, agricultural and aquatic livestock products containing lysine, and processed products thereof. Processed products include materials such as the above-mentioned fermentation products that have been subjected to treatments such as concentration, dilution, drying, fractionation, extraction, and purification. As the lysine, for example, a material having a lysine content of 1% (w / w) or more, 5% (w / w) or more, 10% (w / w) or more, 30% (w / w) or more, 50% (w / w) or more, 70% (w / w) or more, 90% (w / w) or more, or 95% (w / w) or more may be used.

[0034] (3) Yeast extract "Yeast extract" may refer to an extract of yeast. The form of the yeast extract is not particularly limited. The yeast extract may be in any form, such as liquid, powder, or paste. The type of yeast is not particularly limited. Examples of yeast include yeasts of the genus Saccharomyces, such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae, yeasts of the genus Schizosaccharomyces, such as Schizosaccharomyces pombe, and yeasts of the genus Candida, such as Candida utilis. Examples of yeast particularly include yeasts of the genus Saccharomyces and yeasts of the genus Candida.

[0035] The yeast extract may contain γ-Glu-Abu. A yeast extract containing γ-Glu-Abu is also referred to as a γ-Glu-Abu-containing yeast extract. The γ-Glu-Abu-containing yeast extract may be obtained, for example, from the above-mentioned yeast containing γ-Glu-Abu. The content of γ-Glu-Abu in the γ-Glu-Abu-containing yeast extract may be, for example, 1% (w / w) or more, 3% (w / w) or more, 5% (w / w) or more, 7% (w / w) or more, 10% (w / w) or more, 15% (w / w) or more, 20% (w / w) or more, 25% (w / w) or more, or 30% (w / w) or more, or 50% (w / w) or less, 45% (w / w) or less, 40% (w / w) or less, 30% (w / w) or less, 20% (w / w) or less, 15% (w / w) or less, 13% (w / w) or less, or 10% (w / w) or less, based on the dry weight of the γ-Glu-Abu-containing yeast extract, or any compatible combination thereof. Specifically, the content of γ-Glu-Abu in the γ-Glu-Abu-containing yeast extract may be, for example, 1 to 30% (w / w), 3 to 20% (w / w), 5 to 15% (w / w), or 7 to 13% (w / w) based on the dry weight of the γ-Glu-Abu-containing yeast extract. As the yeast extract, one type of yeast extract may be used, or one type of γ-Glu-Abu-containing yeast extract may be used, or two or more types of yeast extracts and / or γ-Glu-Abu-containing yeast extracts may be used in combination.

[0036] The yeast extract may be free of γ-Glu-Abu. "The yeast extract is free of γ-Glu-Abu" includes "substantially free of γ-Glu-Abu." Specifically, "the yeast extract is free of γ-Glu-Abu" may refer to, for example, the content of γ-Glu-Abu in the yeast extract being less than 1% (w / w), less than 0.1% (w / w), or less than 0.01% (w / w) of the dry weight of the yeast extract.

[0037] When a yeast extract contains γ-Glu-Abu, the γ-Glu-Abu component of the yeast extract may be considered to be the component corresponding to "γ-Glu-Abu or a salt thereof" in the active ingredient, and the components of the yeast extract other than γ-Glu-Abu may be considered to be the components corresponding to "yeast extract" in the active ingredient. As the yeast extract, a commercially available product may be used, or one obtained by appropriate production may be used. The method for producing the yeast extract is not particularly limited. The yeast extract can be produced, for example, by known methods. Specifically, the yeast extract can be produced, for example, by processing yeast into yeast extract. Processing yeast into yeast extract can be carried out, for example, by autolysis, acid hydrolysis, enzymatic hydrolysis, or a combination thereof.

[0038] If an active ingredient can form a salt, the active ingredient (e.g., γ-Glu-Abu or lysine) may be used in its free form, as a salt, or a combination thereof. In other words, the term "active ingredient" may refer to the active ingredient in its free form, its salt, or a combination thereof, unless otherwise specified. Furthermore, the term "active ingredient or its salt" may refer to either or both of the active ingredient in its free form and its salt, i.e., the active ingredient in its free form, its salt, or a combination thereof. "Free form" refers to a form in which no salt is formed. Furthermore, if an active ingredient can form a hydrate, the active ingredient may be used as a non-hydrate, a hydrate, or a combination thereof. In other words, the term "active ingredient" (e.g., "active ingredient in its free form" or "salt of the active ingredient") may encompass both the non-hydrate and the hydrate, unless otherwise specified. The active ingredient may be in any form, such as an ion, when used. These descriptions regarding the form of an active ingredient also apply mutatis mutandis to ingredients other than the active ingredient.

[0039] The salt is not particularly limited as long as it is orally ingestible. For example, specific examples of salts of acidic groups such as carboxyl groups include ammonium salts, salts with alkali metals such as sodium and potassium, salts with alkaline earth metals such as calcium and magnesium, aluminum salts, zinc salts, and salts with organic amines such as triethylamine, ethanolamine, morpholine, pyrrolidine, piperidine, piperazine, and dicyclohexylamine. Furthermore, specific examples of salts of basic groups such as amino groups include salts with inorganic acids such as hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, nitric acid, and hydrobromic acid; salts with organic carboxylic acids such as acetic acid, citric acid, benzoic acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid, tartaric acid, succinic acid, tannic acid, butyric acid, hybenzic acid, pamoic acid, enanthic acid, decanoic acid, teoclic acid, salicylic acid, lactic acid, oxalic acid, mandelic acid, malic acid, methylmalonic acid, and adipic acid; and salts with organic sulfonic acids such as methanesulfonic acid, benzenesulfonic acid, and p-toluenesulfonic acid. Specific examples of lysine salts include lysine hydrochloride. Note that one type of salt may be used, or two or more types of salts may be used in combination.

[0040] In addition, when a material containing an active ingredient is used, the amount of the active ingredient (e.g., content (concentration) or amount used) is calculated based on the amount of the active ingredient itself in the material. In addition, when the active ingredient forms a salt or hydrate, the amount of the active ingredient (e.g., content (concentration) or amount used) is calculated based on the mass of the salt or hydrate converted to the mass of an equimolar unhydrated free form. In addition, the amount of yeast extract (e.g., content (concentration) or amount used) is calculated based on the dry weight of the yeast extract.

[0041] <2> Composition of the Present Invention The composition of the present invention is a composition containing an active ingredient.

[0042] That is, the composition of the present invention is a composition containing γ-Glu-Abu and lysine.

[0043] The composition of the present invention may also be interpreted as a composition containing γ-Glu-Abu or a salt thereof, and lysine or a salt thereof.

[0044] The composition of the present invention may further comprise yeast extract.

[0045] By utilizing the composition of the present invention, the taste of food can be improved. That is, a taste improving effect can be obtained. Therefore, the composition of the present invention can be used to improve the taste of food. That is, the composition of the present invention can be, for example, a composition for improving the taste of food. The improvement of taste can be, for example, enhancing the meaty feel, imparting a rich taste, imparting a meat flavor, and / or imparting an oily or fat flavor. The improvement of taste can particularly be enhancing the meaty feel and / or imparting a rich taste. The impartation of a rich taste can be imparting a rich initial taste, a rich middle taste, a rich aftertaste, or a combination thereof. In particular, the impartation of a rich taste can be imparting not only a rich initial taste, but also a rich middle taste and a rich aftertaste.

[0046] Furthermore, by utilizing the composition of the present invention, it is possible to produce foods with improved taste. Thus, the composition of the present invention may be utilized in the production of foods (specifically, the production of foods with improved taste). That is, the composition of the present invention may be, for example, a composition for use in the production of foods (specifically, the production of foods with improved taste).

[0047] The composition of the present invention may be, for example, a seasoning. Specifically, the composition of the present invention may be, for example, a seasoning for improving the taste of food, or a seasoning for use in food production (specifically, production of food with improved taste).

[0048] The composition of the present invention may or may not have an improved eating taste. For example, the composition of the present invention may have an enhanced (as defined above, including imparted) meaty feel (specifically, an enhanced meaty feel compared to when the active ingredient is not contained).

[0049] The composition of the present invention may be used to improve taste or produce food products in the manner described in the method of the present invention below.

[0050] The composition of the present invention may consist of an active ingredient or may contain ingredients other than the active ingredient. As the ingredients other than the active ingredient, one kind of ingredient may be used, or two or more kinds of ingredients may be used in combination.

[0051] The active ingredient contained in the composition of the present invention may be produced by the above-mentioned method for producing an active ingredient. Therefore, the method for producing the composition of the present invention may include a step of producing the active ingredient by the above-mentioned method for producing an active ingredient.

[0052] The ingredients other than the active ingredient are not particularly limited as long as they do not lose the taste improving effect (i.e., the taste improving effect of the active ingredient can be obtained). The ingredients other than the active ingredient can be appropriately selected depending on various conditions, such as the type of food. Examples of ingredients other than the active ingredient include ingredients that are blended into foods or pharmaceuticals. Specific examples of ingredients other than the active ingredient include raw materials derived from meat, more specifically raw materials derived from beef or meat extract, and even more specifically beef extract.

[0053] Specific examples of ingredients other than the active ingredient include ingredients effective in food production, such as the food ingredients described below.

[0054] As the component other than the active ingredient, one component may be used, or two or more components may be used in combination.

[0055] The composition of the present invention can be produced, for example, by appropriately mixing the active ingredient and, optionally, other ingredients.

[0056] The composition of the present invention may be formulated as appropriate, for example. When formulating, additives may be used as appropriate. Examples of additives include excipients, binders, disintegrants, lubricants, stabilizers, flavoring agents, diluents, surfactants, and solvents. The additives can be selected as appropriate depending on various conditions, such as the shape of the composition of the present invention.

[0057] The form of the composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, and the composition of the present invention may be in any form, such as powder, flakes, tablets, paste, liquid, etc.

[0058] The content and content ratio of each component (i.e., the active ingredient and optionally other components) in the composition of the present invention are not particularly limited as long as the taste improving effect is obtained. The content and content ratio of each component in the composition of the present invention can be appropriately set depending on various conditions such as the mode of use of the composition of the present invention.

[0059] The total content of the active ingredients in the composition of the present invention is greater than 0% (w / w) and less than 100% (w / w). The total content of the active ingredients in the composition of the present invention may be, for example, 1% (w / w) or more, 2% (w / w) or more, 5% (w / w) or more, 10% (w / w) or more, or 20% (w / w) or more, or 100% (w / w) or less, 99.9% (w / w) or less, 50% (w / w) or less, 20% (w / w) or less, 10% (w / w) or less, 5% (w / w) or less, or any compatible combination thereof.

[0060] The content ratio of γ-Glu-Abu or a salt thereof to lysine or a salt thereof in the composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, as long as a taste-improving effect is obtained. The content ratio of γ-Glu-Abu to lysine in the composition of the present invention may be, for example, a molar ratio of 100:1 to 1:1000, a molar ratio of 10:1 to 1:100, a molar ratio of 1:1 to 1:40, or a molar ratio of 1:6 to 1:12. The content ratio of γ-Glu-Abu or a salt thereof to lysine or a salt thereof may be expressed as the molar ratio calculated from the number of γ-Glu-Abu molecules calculated from the total amount of γ-Glu-Abu and its salt contained in the composition to the number of lysine molecules calculated from the total amount of lysine or its salt contained in the composition.

[0061] The content of each active ingredient in the composition of the present invention can be set, for example, so as to obtain the above-mentioned ratio of the total content of the active ingredients in the composition of the present invention to the content of the active ingredient.

[0062] The content of each component (i.e., the active ingredient and optionally other ingredients) in the composition of the present invention can be set, for example, so as to obtain the amount of each component added in the method of the present invention described below.

[0063] The components (i.e., the active ingredient and optional other ingredients) contained in the composition of the present invention may be mixed together and contained in the composition of the present invention, or may be contained separately or in any combination. For example, the composition of the present invention may be provided as a set of active ingredients each packaged separately. In such a case, the components contained in the set can be used together as appropriate when used.

[0064] <3> Method of the Present Invention The method of the present invention is a method including a step of utilizing an active ingredient.

[0065] That is, the method of the present invention is a method comprising a step of utilizing γ-Glu-Abu and lysine.

[0066] The method of the present invention may also be interpreted as a method comprising a step of utilizing γ-Glu-Abu or a salt thereof, and lysine or a salt thereof.

[0067] The method of the present invention may further comprise the step of utilizing a yeast extract.

[0068] The method of the present invention, specifically by utilizing the active ingredient, can improve the taste of food. That is, a taste-improving effect can be obtained. Therefore, the method of the present invention may be implemented to improve the taste of food. That is, the method of the present invention may be, for example, a method for improving the taste of food. This method is also referred to as the "taste-improving method of the present invention." The improvement of taste may be, for example, enhancing the meaty feel, imparting a rich flavor, imparting a meat flavor, and / or imparting an oily flavor. The improvement of taste may particularly be enhancing the meaty feel and / or imparting a rich flavor. The impartation of a rich flavor may be imparting a rich initial flavor, a rich middle flavor, a rich aftertaste, or a combination thereof. In particular, the impartation of a rich flavor may be imparting not only a rich initial flavor, but also a rich middle flavor and a rich aftertaste.

[0069] Furthermore, the method of the present invention, specifically by utilizing the active ingredient, allows the production of foods with improved taste. Thus, the method of the present invention may be carried out for the production of foods (specifically, the production of foods with improved taste). That is, the composition of the present invention may be used, for example, in a method for producing foods (specifically, the production of foods with improved taste). This method is also referred to as the "food production method of the present invention."

[0070] The active ingredient can be added to food ingredients during food production to improve taste or be used in food production. That is, an example of using the active ingredient is adding the active ingredient to food ingredients. That is, the method of the present invention may specifically be, for example, a method for improving the taste of food, which includes adding the active ingredient to food ingredients. Furthermore, the method of the present invention may specifically be, for example, a method for producing food (specifically, producing food with improved taste), which includes adding the active ingredient to food ingredients. "Addition" can also be referred to as "blending."

[0071] The active ingredient may be utilized in the method of the present invention, for example, in the form of a composition of the present invention. That is, "utilization of an active ingredient" also includes utilization of a composition of the present invention. For example, "addition of an active ingredient" also includes addition of a composition of the present invention.

[0072] The food obtained by the method of the present invention is also referred to as the "food of the present invention." Specifically, the food of the present invention is a food with improved taste. In other words, the food of the present invention is a food to which an active ingredient has been added.

[0073] The improvement of taste or the production of food may be carried out in the same manner as the production of ordinary foods, except for the use of an active ingredient. That is, the improvement of taste or the production of food may be carried out using the same raw materials and under the same production conditions as ordinary foods, except for the use of an active ingredient. Furthermore, the raw materials and production conditions of the food may both be appropriately modified for use in the improvement of taste or the production of food.

[0074] The type of food is not particularly limited as long as it is desired to improve the taste. Foods include beverages. Foods also include seasonings. Foods may be, for example, liquid or solid. Specific examples of foods include beverages such as milk, soft drinks, alcoholic beverages, and soups; processed meat foods such as ham, sausage, gyoza, shumai, hamburger steak, fried chicken, and pork cutlet; processed seafood foods such as salmon flakes, spicy cod roe, salted cod roe, grilled fish, dried fish, salted fish, fish sausage, kamaboko, boiled fish, tsukudani (simmered fish in soy sauce), and canned goods; sweets such as potato chips, potato snacks, corn snacks, wheat snacks, cinnamon cookies, rice crackers, and arare (crackers); noodle soups such as udon soup, soba soup, somen soup, ramen soup, champon soup, and pasta sauce; cooked rice dishes such as rice balls, pilaf, fried rice, mixed rice, rice porridge, and ochazuke (tea rice with green tea); stews such as curry, stew, chili con carne, feijoata, and mapo tofu. Examples of suitable condiments include dishes; rouxes such as stew roux and curry roux; processed vegetable products such as kimchi and pickles; other processed foods such as bread, noodles, gratin, croquettes, and mashed potatoes; sauces such as Chinese sauce, oyster sauce, cheese sauce, tomato sauce, white sauce, demi-glace sauce, curry sauce, Genoa sauce, chili sauce, and Tabasco sauce; seasoning oils such as chili oil; basic seasonings such as soy sauce and miso; flavor seasonings such as beef flavor, chicken flavor, pork flavor, and bonito flavor; spicy seasonings such as shichimi chili pepper, doubanjiang, and gochujang; menu-specific seasonings (special seasonings tailored to the menu being cooked); and other condiments such as dressings, miso, mayonnaise, tomato ketchup, and consommé. "Soft drinks" may refer to non-alcoholic beverages (drinks with an alcohol concentration of less than 1%), excluding milk and dairy products. Specific examples of soft drinks include water, fruit juice, vegetable juice, tea (chai, cinnamon tea, etc.), coffee drinks (coffee, coffee-infused milk drinks, etc.), carbonated drinks (ginger ale, lemon carbonated drinks, etc.), and sports drinks.Specific examples of soup include consommé soup, potage soup, Chinese-style soup, egg soup, curry-flavored soup, dal soup, tom yum goong, seaweed soup, shark fin soup, clear soup, and miso soup.Examples of foods include those with meat flavors such as beef, chicken, and pork. Specific examples of foods include foods containing meat-derived ingredients (e.g., the foods exemplified above that contain meat-derived ingredients), and more specifically, foods containing beef extract (e.g., the foods exemplified above that contain beef extract). Examples of foods include foods that originally contain meat-derived ingredients but have reduced meat-derived ingredients by replacing the meat-derived ingredients with the active ingredient of the present invention. Foods may be provided in a form that can be consumed as is, or in a form that requires preparation before or at the time of consumption, such as a concentrated or dried product. Foods are not limited to general foods, but also include so-called health foods or medical foods, such as nutritional supplements, nutritional functional foods, and foods for specified health uses. That is, for example, the foods exemplified above may be provided as general foods, health foods, or medical foods.

[0075] "Food ingredients" refers to food materials used to produce food. There are no particular limitations on the food ingredients as long as they can be used to produce food. Food ingredients can be selected appropriately depending on various conditions, such as the type of food. Examples of food ingredients include ingredients that are commonly used in the production of foods, such as those exemplified above. Specific examples of food ingredients include meat extracts such as beef extract, pork extract, and chicken extract; ingredients such as meat, grains, vegetables, seafood, and eggs; seasoning ingredients such as sugars, inorganic salts, organic acids, nucleic acids, amino acids, and protein hydrolysates; dairy products such as milk and cheese; spices; flavorings; oils and fats; and alcohol. More specific examples of food ingredients include ingredients derived from livestock meat. In the present invention, "raw materials derived from livestock meat" is not limited to raw materials derived from parts of livestock that are typically used as meat, but also includes raw materials derived from parts not typically used as meat, such as bones, skin, and internal organs, and may refer to any raw materials derived from livestock without any limitations. In the present invention, livestock includes cattle, pigs, chickens, sheep, goats, horses, etc., with cattle being preferred. In the present invention, examples of raw materials derived from livestock include extracts derived from livestock, i.e., meat extracts, meat obtained from livestock (including dried meat and smoked meat), oils and fats, bone meal, etc. As for the extracts derived from livestock, extracts derived from cattle are also called beef extract, extracts derived from pigs are also called pork extract, and extracts derived from chickens are also called chicken extract.

[0076] As long as the active ingredient(s) achieves a taste-improving effect, they may be added to food ingredients at any stage of the food production process. In other words, the "food ingredients" to which the active ingredient(s) is / are added may be those at any stage of the food production process. For example, the "food ingredients" to which the active ingredient(s) is / are added may include finished foods before the active ingredient(s) is / are added. The active ingredient(s) may be added to the food ingredients either as is or after being prepared into a desired form, such as a solution. "Addition of an active ingredient" may refer collectively to the process of coexisting the active ingredient(s) with the food ingredients. When two or more active ingredients are used, the descriptions regarding the addition of the active ingredients apply independently to each active ingredient, unless otherwise specified. When two or more active ingredients are used, the active ingredients may be added to the food ingredients all at the same time, separately, or in any combination. When two or more active ingredients are used, the order in which the active ingredients are added to the food ingredients is not particularly limited.

[0077] The amount and ratio of each component (i.e., the active ingredient and optionally other components) added in the method of the present invention are not particularly limited as long as the effect of improving the taste is obtained. The amount and ratio of each component added in the method of the present invention can be appropriately set depending on various conditions such as the type of raw material of the food and the type of food.

[0078] The active ingredient may be added to the raw materials of the food, for example, so that the ingestible concentration of the active ingredient falls within a desired range.

[0079] The ingested concentration of γ-Glu-Abu or a salt thereof may be, for example, 0.00001 ppm (w / w) or more, 0.0001 ppm (w / w) or more, 0.001 ppm (w / w) or more, 0.01 ppm (w / w) or more, 0.1 ppm (w / w) or more, 0.5 ppm (w / w) or more, or 1 ppm (w / w) or more, or 1000 ppm (w / w) or less, 100 ppm (w / w) or less, 10 ppm (w / w) or less, 5 ppm (w / w) or less, 1 ppm (w / w) or less, or 0.5 ppm (w / w) or less, or any compatible combination thereof. The ingested concentration of γ-Glu-Abu or a salt thereof may be, for example, from 0.0001 ppm (w / w) to 1000 ppm (w / w), from 0.01 ppm (w / w) to 1000 ppm (w / w), from 0.1 ppm (w / w) to 100 ppm (w / w), from 0.5 ppm (w / w) to 100 ppm (w / w), or from 1 ppm (w / w) to 100 ppm (w / w).

[0080] The ingested concentration of lysine or a salt thereof may be, for example, 0.001 ppm (w / w) or more, 0.01 (w / w) ppm or more, 0.1 ppm (w / w) or more, 1 ppm (w / w) or more, 3 ppm (w / w) or more, or 10 ppm (w / w) or more, or 1000 ppm (w / w) or less, 100 ppm (w / w) or less, 10 ppm (w / w) or less, or 5 ppm (w / w) or less, or any compatible combination thereof. The ingested concentration of lysine or a salt thereof may be, for example, 0.01 ppm (w / w) to 1000 ppm (w / w), 0.1 ppm (w / w) to 1000 ppm (w / w), 1 ppm (w / w) to 1000 ppm (w / w), or 3 ppm (w / w) to 1000 ppm (w / w).

[0081] The concentration of the yeast extract to be consumed, calculated in terms of the dry weight of the yeast extract, may be, for example, 0.0001 ppm (w / w) or more, 0.001 ppm (w / w) or more, 0.01 ppm (w / w) or more, 0.1 ppm (w / w) or more, 1 ppm (w / w) or more, 5 ppm (w / w) or more, or 10 ppm (w / w) or more, or 10,000 ppm (w / w) or less, 1,000 ppm (w / w) or less, 100 ppm (w / w) or less, 50 ppm (w / w) or less, 10 ppm (w / w) or less, or 5 ppm (w / w) or less, or any compatible combination thereof. The concentration of the yeast extract when consumed may be, for example, 0.001 ppm (w / w) to 10,000 ppm (w / w), 0.1 ppm (w / w) to 10,000 ppm (w / w), 1 ppm (w / w) to 1,000 ppm (w / w), 5 ppm (w / w) to 1,000 ppm (w / w), or 10 ppm (w / w) to 1,000 ppm (w / w).

[0082] The description of the addition of an active ingredient also applies mutatis mutandis to the addition of the composition of the present invention. For example, the composition of the present invention can be added so as to obtain the amount of the active ingredient exemplified above.

[0083] The food of the present invention may contain a meat-derived ingredient in addition to the active ingredient, or may not contain a meat-derived ingredient. The food of the present invention may be a food in which the content of the meat-derived ingredient is a certain level or less (for example, a content range described below). In this case, the meat-derived ingredient may refer to meat extract alone. That is, the food of the present invention may contain a meat extract in addition to the active ingredient, or may not contain meat extract. The food of the present invention may be a food in which the content of the meat extract is a certain level or less (for example, a content range described below). Furthermore, in this case, the meat extract may refer to beef extract alone. That is, the food of the present invention may contain beef extract in addition to the active ingredient, or may not contain beef extract. The food of the present invention may be a food in which the content of beef extract is a certain level or less (for example, a content range described below).

[0084] The content of meat-derived ingredients, meat extract, or beef extract in the food of the present invention is not particularly limited and may be set appropriately depending on various conditions such as the type of food, but may be below a certain level, for example, 20% (w / w) or less, 15% (w / w) or less, 10% (w / w) or less, 5% (w / w) or less, 3% (w / w) or less, 1% (w / w) or less, or 0.1% (w / w) or less. The lower limit of the content of meat-derived ingredients, meat extract, or beef extract in the food of the present invention is not particularly limited and may be 0% (w / w), i.e., not contained. Specifically, the food of the present invention may be, for example, a food that does not contain meat-derived ingredients or contains meat-derived ingredients at a content of 10% (w / w) or less, a food that does not contain meat extract or contains meat extract at a content of 10% (w / w) or less, or a food that does not contain beef extract or contains beef extract at a content of 10% (w / w) or less.

[0085] The food of the present invention may also be a food in which the amount of livestock meat-derived ingredients has been reduced. "Food with reduced livestock meat-derived ingredients" refers to a food with a lower content of livestock meat-derived ingredients than normal (i.e., a food in which the content of livestock meat-derived ingredients is lower than that of normal livestock meat-derived ingredients). Foods containing normal amounts of livestock meat-derived ingredients (i.e., foods with normal content of livestock meat-derived ingredients) are also referred to as "normal livestock meat-based foods." That is, "food with reduced livestock meat-derived ingredients" may specifically refer to a food of the same type as normal livestock meat-based foods but with a lower content of livestock meat-derived ingredients than normal livestock meat-based foods. "Food with reduced livestock meat-derived ingredients" may more specifically refer to a food of the same type as normal livestock meat-based foods but with a content of livestock meat-derived ingredients that is 0.9 times or less, 0.8 times or less, 0.7 times or less, 0.6 times or less, or 0.5 times or less than that of normal livestock meat-based foods, or may refer to a food that is substantially free of livestock meat-derived ingredients. The terms "content of livestock meat-derived ingredients" and "concentration of livestock meat-derived ingredients" may be used interchangeably. Foods with reduced livestock meat-derived ingredients include foods such as the foods exemplified above that are manufactured to have a lower content of livestock meat-derived ingredients than normal. Regular livestock meat-based foods include foods such as the foods exemplified above that are manufactured to contain normal amounts of livestock meat-derived ingredients. Foods with reduced "livestock meat-derived ingredients" may also be read as foods with reduced "livestock meat extract" or foods with reduced "beef extract".

[0086] In other words, "reducing meat-derived ingredients in a food" means lowering the content of meat-derived ingredients in the food compared to the content of regular meat-derived ingredients. "Reducing meat-derived ingredients in a food" may specifically mean lowering the content of meat-derived ingredients in a food compared to the content of meat-derived ingredients in the same type of regular meat-based food. "Reducing meat-derived ingredients in a food" may more specifically mean reducing the content of meat-derived ingredients in a food to 0.9 times or less, 0.8 times or less, 0.7 times or less, 0.6 times or less, or 0.5 times or less the content of meat-derived ingredients in the same type of regular meat-based food, or may mean making the food substantially free of meat-derived ingredients. Reduction of "meat-derived ingredients" in a food may also be interpreted as reduction of "meat extract" in a food or reduction of "beef extract" in a food. Reducing one or more of the following may be referred to as "reducing meat-derived ingredients in foods," "reducing meat extract in foods," and "reducing beef extract in foods."

[0087] By containing the active ingredient, the food of the present invention can achieve an improved taste even if the food contains less than a certain amount of raw materials derived from meat (i.e., raw materials derived from meat, meat extract, or beef extract), does not contain raw materials derived from meat, or has reduced amounts of raw materials derived from meat.

[0088] <4> Use of Active Ingredient The present invention also discloses the use of the active ingredient in the above-exemplified applications. That is, the present invention discloses, for example, use of the active ingredient for improving taste, reducing meat-derived ingredients in foods, or producing foods, or use of the active ingredient in improving taste, reducing meat-derived ingredients in foods, or producing a composition for producing foods.

[0089] The present invention also discloses active ingredients for use in the above-mentioned applications, i.e., active ingredients for use in improving taste, reducing meat-derived ingredients in foods, or in the production of foods, and active ingredients for use in improving taste, reducing meat-derived ingredients in foods, or in the production of compositions for use in the production of foods.

[0090] The present invention also discloses the use of each active ingredient for combination with other active ingredients. Each active ingredient may be used in combination with other active ingredients for the uses exemplified above.

[0091] The present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the following non-limiting examples.

[0092] The γ-Glu-Abu-rich yeast extract used in this example was a powdered yeast extract containing 7 to 13% (w / w) of γ-Glu-Abu based on the dry weight, and was produced in accordance with the method described in WO 2012 / 046731. The lysine hydrochloride used in this example was the L-form.

[0093] The ingredients were weighed out at the blending ratios shown in Table 1 and powder-mixed in a mortar. After that, hard fat was heated to 70°C with a hot stirrer and added, and the whole was mixed until uniform to prepare a seasoning. Next, 1.8 g of the seasoning was dissolved in 100 ml of hot water to prepare a base. The Madras curry powder used was a product of the same name manufactured by House Foods Corporation. The hydrogenated palm oil used had a melting point of 45 to 50°C.

[0094]

[0095] Example 1 The effect of enhancing kokumi by the combined use of γ-Glu-Abu and lysine was evaluated. The components shown in Table 2 were added to the base at the consumption concentrations shown in the table, and samples for Tests 1 to 6 were prepared. For each sample, the kokumi from the initial taste and from the middle taste to the aftertaste was evaluated by sensory evaluation by a specialist panel. The kokumi from the initial taste and from the middle taste to the aftertaste was defined as the kokumi felt between 0 and 1 second and between 1 and 5 seconds after ingestion (after the food or drink was placed in the mouth), respectively. The evaluation criteria for kokumi were as follows, and the evaluation score for the sensory evaluation was expressed on a 9-point scale from 1 to 9. In other words, the higher the evaluation score, the greater the effect of enhancing kokumi. Rating 1: No difference from no addition Rating 3: Slightly stronger than no addition Rating 6: Stronger than no addition Rating 9: Much stronger than no addition

[0096] The results are shown in Table 2. When γ-Glu-Abu, γ-Glu-Abu-rich yeast extract, or lysine hydrochloride was added alone, slight improvements were observed in the initial taste and the kokumi (rich flavor) from the middle to the aftertaste compared to the base (#1), but no significant enhancement of kokumi was observed (#2 to #4). On the other hand, the addition of a combination of γ-Glu-Abu and lysine hydrochloride, or a combination of γ-Glu-Abu-rich yeast extract and lysine hydrochloride, significantly imparted and enhanced kokumi (rich flavor) from the initial taste and the middle to the aftertaste compared to the base (#1) (#5 and #6). Furthermore, the addition of a combination of γ-Glu-Abu and lysine hydrochloride, or a combination of γ-Glu-Abu-rich yeast extract and lysine hydrochloride, demonstrated synergistic, rather than additive, improvements in the evaluation scores compared to the addition of each ingredient alone (#2 to #4) (#5 and #6). From the above, it was revealed that the combined use of γ-Glu-Abu or a yeast extract with a high content of γ-Glu-Abu and lysine is important for enhancing kokumi.

[0097]

[0098] (Example 2) Next, comparisons were made using other peptides and amino acids. Glutamylvalylglycine (γ-Glu-Val-Gly), which has been reported to have the effect of improving body flavor, was used as another peptide. Arginine and sodium aspartate were also used as other amino acids. The components shown in Table 3 were added to the base at the consumption concentrations shown in the table, and samples for Tests #7 to #13 were prepared. For each sample, the body flavor of the initial taste and the mid-taste to aftertaste was evaluated by sensory evaluation by a specialist panel using the same criteria as in Example 1.

[0099] The results are shown in Table 3. The combination of γ-Glu-Val-Gly and lysine hydrochloride, or the combination of γ-Glu-Abu and arginine or sodium aspartate did not produce a significant effect of enhancing kokumi (#11 to #13). This suggests that the effect of enhancing kokumi is characteristic of the combined use of γ-Glu-Abu and lysine.

[0100]

[0101] Example 3 The amounts of γ-Glu-Abu and lysine added were investigated. The components shown in Tables 4 and 5 were added to the base at the ingestible concentrations shown in the tables to prepare samples for Tests #14 to #29. Each sample was evaluated for its initial taste and full-bodied taste from the middle to the aftertaste by sensory evaluation by a specialist panel using the same criteria as in Example 1.

[0102] The results of examining the amount of γ-Glu-Abu added are shown in Table 4. When used in combination with lysine, γ-Glu-Abu exhibited an enhancing effect on kokumi at ingested concentrations of 0.0001 ppm or higher, and particularly exhibited a significant enhancing effect at ingested concentrations of 0.01 ppm or higher (#15 to #21).

[0103]

[0104] The results of examining the amount of lysine hydrochloride added are shown in Table 5. When lysine hydrochloride was used in combination with γ-Glu-Abu, it exhibited an enhancing effect on kokumi at an ingested concentration of 0.01 ppm or more, and particularly exhibited a remarkable enhancing effect on kokumi at an ingested concentration of 0.1 ppm or more (#23 to #29).

[0105]

[0106] Example 3: The beef extract flavor enhancement effect of the combined use of γ-Glu-Abu and lysine was evaluated. The components shown in Table 6 were added to the base at the consumption concentrations shown in the table to prepare samples for Tests #30 to #36. Beef Extract A-1799 (manufactured by Nikken Foods Co., Ltd.) was used as the beef extract. Each sample was evaluated for beef extract flavor in the initial taste and from the middle to the aftertaste through sensory evaluation by a specialist panel. The beef extract flavor in the initial taste and from the middle to the aftertaste was defined as the beef extract flavor perceived between 0 and 1 second and between 1 and 5 seconds after ingestion (after placing the food or beverage in the mouth), respectively. The evaluation criteria for beef extract flavor were as follows, and the sensory evaluation score was expressed on a nine-point scale from 1 to 9. In other words, the higher the evaluation score, the greater the effect of enhancing the beef extract flavor. Rating 1: No difference from no additives Rating 3: Slightly stronger than no additives Rating 6: Stronger than no additives Rating 9: Much stronger than no additives

[0107] The results are shown in Table 6. The addition of a combination of γ-Glu-Abu and lysine hydrochloride, or a combination of a γ-Glu-Abu-rich yeast extract and lysine hydrochloride, imparted a beef extract flavor. Furthermore, the addition of a combination of γ-Glu-Abu and lysine hydrochloride, or a combination of a γ-Glu-Abu-rich yeast extract and lysine hydrochloride, enhanced the beef extract flavor (#35 and #36) compared to the addition of beef extract (#31 and #32), even without the addition of beef extract. Thus, the combined use of γ-Glu-Abu and lysine significantly enhanced the beef extract flavor.

[0108]

[0109] According to the present invention, it is possible to improve the taste of food, which is useful for compensating for the deterioration of food taste caused by, for example, a reduction in meat-derived ingredients.

Claims

1. A composition for improving the taste of food, comprising γ-glutamyl-2-aminobutyric acid (γ-Glu-Abu) or a salt thereof, and lysine or a salt thereof.

2. A composition for use in the manufacture of a food product, comprising γ-glutamyl-2-aminobutyric acid (γ-Glu-Abu) or a salt thereof, and lysine or a salt thereof.

3. The composition of claim 2, wherein the food product is a taste-improved food product.

4. The composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the lysine or its salt is lysine hydrochloride.

5. The composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein γ-Glu-Abu or a salt thereof is contained in a yeast extract.

6. The composition according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising yeast extract.

7. The composition according to claim 1 or 3, wherein the taste improvement includes imparting or enhancing kokumi flavor.

8. The composition according to claim 1 or 3, wherein the improved eating quality includes enhanced meat texture.

9. The composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the food does not contain meat extract or contains meat extract at a content of 10% or less.

10. The composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the food product does not contain any beef extract or contains beef extract in an amount of 10% or less.

11. The composition according to claim 1 or 2, comprising γ-Glu-Abu or a salt thereof and lysine or a salt thereof in a molar ratio of 10:1 to 1:

100.

12. The composition according to claim 1 or 2, comprising γ-Glu-Abu or a salt thereof and lysine or a salt thereof in a molar ratio of 1:1 to 1:

40.

13. The composition according to claim 1 or 2, comprising γ-Glu-Abu or a salt thereof and lysine or a salt thereof in a molar ratio of 1:6 to 1:

12.

14. A method for improving the taste of a food product, comprising the step of adding γ-glutamyl-2-aminobutyric acid (γ-Glu-Abu) or a salt thereof, and lysine or a salt thereof to a food ingredient.

15. A method for producing a food product, comprising the step of adding γ-glutamyl-2-aminobutyric acid (γ-Glu-Abu) or a salt thereof, and lysine or a salt thereof to an ingredient of the food product.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the food product is an improved flavor food product.

17. The method of claim 14 or 15, wherein the lysine or its salt is lysine hydrochloride.

18. The method according to claim 14 or 15, wherein γ-Glu-Abu or a salt thereof is contained in a yeast extract.

19. The method of claim 14 or 15, further comprising the step of adding yeast extract to the food ingredient.

20. The method according to claim 14 or 16, wherein the improving of the taste includes imparting or enhancing kokumi flavor.

21. The method of claim 14 or 16, wherein the improved eating quality includes enhanced meat texture.

22. The method according to claim 14 or 15, wherein the food product does not contain meat extract or contains meat extract at a content of 10% or less.

23. The method according to claim 14 or 15, wherein the food product does not contain any beef extract or contains beef extract at a content of 10% or less.

24. The method according to claim 14 or 15, wherein γ-Glu-Abu or a salt thereof and lysine or a salt thereof are added in a molar ratio of 10:1 to 1:

100.

25. The method according to claim 14 or 15, wherein γ-Glu-Abu or a salt thereof and lysine or a salt thereof are added in a molar ratio of 1:1 to 1:

40.

26. The method according to claim 14 or 15, wherein γ-Glu-Abu or a salt thereof and lysine or a salt thereof are added in a molar ratio of 1:6 to 1:

12.

27. The method according to claim 14 or 15, wherein γ-Glu-Abu or a salt thereof is added so that the final ingested concentration of γ-Glu-Abu or a salt thereof in the food is 0.0001 ppm or more and 1000 ppm or less.

28. The method according to claim 14 or 15, wherein γ-Glu-Abu or a salt thereof is added so that the final ingested concentration of γ-Glu-Abu or a salt thereof in the food is 0.01 ppm or more and 1000 ppm or less.

29. The method according to claim 14 or 15, wherein lysine or a salt thereof is added so that the final ingested concentration of lysine or a salt thereof in the food is 0.01 ppm or more and 1000 ppm or less.

30. The method according to claim 14 or 15, wherein lysine or a salt thereof is added so that the final ingested concentration of lysine or a salt thereof in the food is 0.1 ppm or more and 1000 ppm or less.

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